This uniquely organized book & cassette tape method is guaranteed to unlock the improvisational skills of pianists aspiring to play jazz. Designed as a college text & also for private study, The Aspiring Jazz Pianist benefits anyone who knows basic piano technique & the rudiments of music reading. This is one improvisation method that requires no previous knowledge of jazz or music theory. Its unique approach explains these concepts in a clearly organized manner! The advanced student is challenged with extra credit assignments. The Aspiring Jazz Pianist is designed for the instructor's ease with weekly assignments, exams, & suggestions for further study recommending tunes, books, artists, & recordings to supplement. This method will build the student's confidence by having them create their own music & sound great the very first lesson. Fun & idiomatic arranging devices are introduced, such as swing, bass, walking bass, boogie-woogie, Latin styles, the "new age" sound, & sophisticated chord voicings. This book reveals how to interpret lead sheets & "fake books", & importantly teaches the difference between playing solo piano versus playing in a combo. The handy cassette tape demonstrates the book's techniques, & provides a play-along rhythm section for combo practice. Jazz pianist & author Debbie Denke has field tested the Aspiring Jazz Pianist for ten y ears, proving this method accessible & beneficial to teachers & students alike.